Saraswati is the
Goddess of leaming, knowledge, and wisdom. The Sanskrit word sara means
"essence" and swa means "self." Thus Saraswati means "the essence of the self." Saraswati is represented in Hindu
mythology as the divine consort of Lord
Brahma, the Creator of the universe. Since knowledge is necessary for
creation, Saraswati symbolizes the
creative power of Brahma. Goddess Saraswati is worshipped by all persons
interested in knowledge, especially students, teachers, scholars, and
scientists.
In Her popular images and pictures, Goddess Saraswati is generally depicted with
four arms (some pictures may show only two arms), wearing a white sari and
seated on a white lotus. She holds a book and a rosary in Her rear two hands,
while the front two hands are engaged in the playing of a veena. Her right leg is shown slightly pushing against Her left
leg. She uses a swan as Her vehicle. There is a peacock by Her side gazing at
Her.
The musical instrument in her hands, the veena denotes mind and intellect. This symbol
conveys that the seeker must tune his mind and intellect in order to live in
perfect harmony with the world. Such harmonious living enables the individual
to utilize acquired knowledge for the welfare of all mankind.
The Saraswati veena (also spelled Saraswati
vina) is an Indian plucked string instrument. It is
named after the Hindu goddess Saraswati, who is usually depicted
holding or playing the instrument. s used mostly in Carnatic Indian classical music.
There are several variations of the veena,
which in its South Indian form is a member of the lute family. One who plays
the veena is referred to as a vainika.
The veena is
an ancient instrument dating back to Vedic times (1500BCE). The veena instruments developed much like a
tree, branching out into instruments as diverse as the exotic harp-like Akasa (a veena that was tied up in the tops of trees for the strings to
vibrate from the currents of wind) and the Audumbari
veena (played as an accompaniment by the wives of Vedic priests as they
chanted during ceremonial Yajnas). Veenas ranged from one string to one
hundred, and were composed of many different materials like eagle bone, bamboo,
wood and coconut shells.
The current form of the Saraswati veena with 24 fixed frets evolved in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, during the
reign of Raghunath
Nayak and it is for this reason sometimes called the Tanjore veena, or the Raghunatha veena. Prior to his time, the
number of frets on the veena were
less and also movable.
The veena
is played by sitting cross-legged with the instrument held tilted slightly away
from the player. The small gourd on the left rests on the player's left thigh,
the left arm passing beneath the neck with the hand curving up and around so
that the fingers rest upon the frets. The palm of the right hand rests on the
edge of the top plank so that the fingers (usually index and middle) can pluck
the strings. The drone strings are played with the little finger. The veena's large resonator is placed on the
floor, beyond the right thigh. (Wikipedia)
Like the sitar,
the left hand technique involves playing on the frets, controlled pushing on
the strings to achieve higher tones and glissandi through increased tension,
and finger flicks, all reflecting the characteristics of various ragas and their
ornamentation (gamaka). Modern innovations include one or two circular
sound holes (like that of the lute), substitution of machine heads for wooden
pegs for easier tuning, and the widespread use of transducers for amplification
in performance.
Chitti Babu
(1936-1996) was one of the most famous Veena artistes of India, who had carved
his place amongst the all-time greats who played that instrument. A man who
became a Legend in his own Lifetime, his name was synonymous with the
instrument "Veena", and he
was and is still known in the Carnatic music world, quite simply as “Veena” Chitti Babu. While
continuing with the principles of his Guru’s pioneering school - the Emani “Bani” (tradition/style), Chitti Babu, created and evolved a
distinctive style and identity, entirely his own. The exquisite tonal quality
and versatility that have been his magical hallmarks of his style of playing
the Veena, saw him produce sounds as
varied as the majestic Vedic Hymns or as delicate as the Cuckoo’s voice or even
play many western-music based compositions of his own. He was known to
reproduce the songs and compositions in an almost vocal like tonal quality on
his Veena, and was also known to evoke deeply emotional and appreciative
responses from his audiences. (http://www.veenachittibabu.org/id1.html)
More scintillating music from India.
Track
Listing:
01 Chalamela, Sudhamayi, Ksheera Sagara Sayana
02 Ragam Thanam Pallavi, Apadooruku, Nallani Vada, Mangalam (A Hymn from
Vedas)
